Silverado boys volleyball hopes to live up to reputation

There's almost no topping the season Silverado High School's boys volleyball team had in 2006. The Skyhawks carried a perfect record all the way to the state championship final, where they fell to an equally talented Palo Verde squad.

This year, the Skyhawks have just three returning starters, senior team captains setter Richie Arguello (last year's Sunrise Region MVP), middle blocker Mike Habura and outside hitter Thomas Sullivan. And veteran head coach Eric Drum admits that boys prep volleyball is as good as it's been in a long time this year, so he's not quick to predict another dominant season for his team.

But Silverado's performance so far this year tells a different story, one that could end in the Skyhawks snaring another Sunrise title and maybe more. Through March, the team had tallied an 8-2 overall mark and was undefeated in five conference matches.

"We're doing OK, but I think we set a pretty high standard last year," Drum said. "It's going to be a lot different trying to follow that year up. We only lost two starters, but they were key players. We definitely have the players to step in and fill the void."

Arguello already is playing very well, emphasized by his 40-assist performance in a dramatic win over Green Valley late last month.

"In our division, Green Valley is definitely one of the top teams. It's probably them and us and Coronado, and anyone could step up and win the division," Drum said. "Overall, I would say the level of boys volleyball in the valley is just outstanding this year."

For the Skyhawks, the difference could be the players' attitudes. While Drum said his team is still working on being consistent and playing together, his athletes are still rediscovering what led them to success on the court last season.

"We do have a high standard, and I think some of the guys are so excited to get back to that point that they forget it took a lot of hard work to get there," Drum said. "We've had some wake-up calls already. We're kind of back to square one, back to working hard again."

The trio of captains aren't the only players contributing. Senior outside hitter David Royal came through with 12 kills in the victory over the Gators, and Drum said the Skyhawks are getting a defensive spark from Tony Sithong.

"He gets all over the court and gets a lot of balls for us," he said of Sithong.